Shentong Temple Heritage Site

The Shentong Temple Heritage Site in the Liubu Hills, 15 kilometres south of Jinan, encompasses the Four Gate Pagoda (China's oldest surviving stone pagoda), the Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda (a Tang-era stele tower), carved cliff faces with Buddhist figures, and the remains of the great Tang monastery that occupied this valley. The setting among wooded hills is significantly more attractive than the urban spring parks.

The site is a UNESCO World Heritage component (as part of the Mount Tai listing) and deserves more attention than it receives from visitors who focus exclusively on the spring parks. Allow at least two hours; the walk between the various monuments through the wooded valley is pleasant regardless of your interest in Buddhist archaeology. Entry is around ¥30.

things to do sight
A story
The Shentong Temple complex, of which the Four Gate Pagoda is the surviving centerpiece, was once one of the great Buddhist monasteries of northern China — an institution that attracted monks, scholars, and pilgrims from across the Tang world. The temple was patronized by several Tang emperors and served as a center for the translation of Buddhist texts. Its destruction in later centuries left the pagoda standing in relative isolation, surrounded by later additions rather than the great complex it once anchored.

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